Ever had one of those conversations? You are just discussing business and ideas. And one of the ideas just strikes you — bowls you over and you are pinned to the floor trying to figure it out.
I was talking with a missionary we are working closely with (Note the positionally challenged preposition). We talked of a visit they will have here shortly. And of the structure for the weekend. Talked of religions in their country of Japan.
Then, he was just speculating on returning to Canada. He noted that perhaps larger centers could use the small church model more effectively to reach their mega-populations. And the small town churches (whose churches often comprise 5 – 10 percent of the population of the town) should look to mega-church structures for guidance.
Now, I’ve been in church leadership on one level or another for over thirty years. I’ve heard of small churches trying to do what mega-churches do — and the wreckage has been horrendous. But what if we approached this backwards. What if small town churches considered themselves mega-churches already.
How would they approach things differently? Would they begin to be teaching churches for all the mega-churches around? Would they start to provide worship teams (slightly different in makeup but equally effective) to the mega-churches? Would the small town church begin to shape their communities without feeling inferior?
A whole bunch of questions for those of you who have seen the transitioning of the church in the last few years. The emerging church in large centers is fighting for a small town model of church. I wonder how we in small centers will respond?